COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
Auburn sophomore DeWanna Bonner will join 44 of the nation's top 21-and-under athletes in consideration for spots on the eventual 12-member 2007 USA U21 National Team that will compete at the 2007 U21 World Championships and 2007 Pan American Games. The invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, which is chaired by Sue Donohoe, the NCAA's vice president of Division I women's basketball.

Bonner, a native of Fairfield, Ala., became the all-time leading rebounder for the sophomore class with 259 rebounds this past season. Fifth on the sophomore books for scoring with 484 points, she was named First Team All-SEC. This past season, Bonner led the team in scoring in 17 of the team's 32 games, turning in double-doubles in 12 of those contests. Bonner also led Auburn with a 78-percent free throw percentage.

A member of the 2006 USA Basketball U20 National Team, she competed at the FIBA Americas U20 Championship in Mexico City. Bonner scored 14 points, helping lead Team USA to a gold medal, defeating Brazil 96-54.

Trials for the USA U21 Championship Team are scheduled for May 17-20 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Finalists for the World Championship and Pan American Games teams will be announced on May 20.

Team USA will look to defend its world title in this age group at the 2007 FIBA World Championship, June 29-July 8 in Moscow, Russia. Duke head coach Joanne McCallie returns as head coach and will be assisted by collegiate head coaches Sam Dixon (Furman) and Charli Thurner Thorne (Arizona State). The USA U21 finalists will reconvene in Colorado Springs June 12 to begin training for the tournament and the eventual 12-member team will be named prior to the squad departing for Europe on June 16.

The Pan American Games will be held July 20-24 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and will feature eight national teams from FIBA Americas. Coaching the USA squad will be Temple head coach Dawn Staley. Assisting Staley will be collegiate head coaches Kathy Delaney-Smith (Harvard) and Bill Gibbons (Holy Cross). The USA Pan Ams finalists will reconvene on July 6 in Washington, D.C., and the eventual 12-member squad will be named prior to the team departing for Brazil on July 16.

In all 23, of the 45 under consideration for a spot on one of the teams have been a member of a past USA Basketball squad. Eight athletes return from the 2006 USA U20 National Team. The 45 athletes under consideration for the two USA squads represent 43 schools from 11 NCAA DI conferences and one junior college.